Improved machine for pressing watch-crystals



UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

JOSEPH METZGER, OF EAST CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED MACHINE FOR PRESSING WATCH-CRYSTALS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 411,? 3&1, dated October 18, 1864.

.To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Beit known that I, JOSEPH ME'IZGER, of East Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Machine for Pressing Watch-Crystals; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specilcation, in which- Figure 1, Sheet No. l, is a side sectional view of my invention, taken in the line ai 0r, Fig. 2 5 Fig. 2, a horizontal section of the same, taken in the line y y, Fig. l Fig. 3, an enlarged detached sectional view ot' the dies pertaining to the same, taken in the line y y', Fig. l. Fig. 4, Sheet No. 2, is a frontelevation of the machine; Fig. 5, an enlarged vertical section of a portion of Fig. 4, taken in the line z e.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts.

This invention relates to anew and improved machine for pressing watch-crystals into the proper or desired form. latch-crystals are constructed by cutting circular pieces out ot' a glass globe blown of a suitable size and thickness, and these pieces are heated and pressed between dies so as to ilatten or reduce their convexity and bring them to the proper shape or form.

The object ofthe within-described invention is to facilitate the heating and pressing operations and produce work superior and with less expense than can be done by the means hitherto employed for the purpose.

A represents a horizontal bed-piece or platform which is supported at a suitable height by legs a, and B is an upright secured to the bedpiece A and provided with two lateral projections or arms, b b', the upper one, b, serving as a guide or bearing for a vertical arbor, C, which is raised and lowered by means of a lever, D, provided at one end with a weight or counterpoise, E. (See Fig. l.) To the lower end of the arbor C there is attached a female die, F, corresponding in form to the exterior surface of the crystals to be pressed, and within said arbor above the die F there are 'fitted two hooks, G G, both of which work on a pivot or pin,c, passing transversely through the arbor, each connected by links (l d to a lever, H, which has its fulcrum-pin e passin g through an arm, f, attached to the arbor C. By operating this lever Hthe hooks G G may be brought together or spread apa-rt at their lower ends, for the purpose hereinafter specified. In the lower arm, b', there is tted a vertical arbor, I, which has a shallow cup or socket, J, on its upper end. This ar bor is allowed to turn freely in the arm bf, and it has a pulley, K, upon it, around which a rope or band passes from any suitable drivingshaft. The lower end of the arbor I rests upon or is stepped in a screw, L, by turning' which said arbor may be raised or lowered.

M represents a detached die of such dimensions that it may be fitted in the cup or socket J on the arbor I. The upper or face side ot' this die is of convex form and corresponds to the inner or concave side ot' the crystal, a groove, g, being made cireumferentially in the die M to receivethe ends of the hooks G G.

On the. bed-piece A there are two tubes, N N, which may be in the form ot circles or p0rtions thereof, one within the other and encompassing the upright B. The tube N has two pipes, h h, communicating with it, which extend upward a certain distance and are bent over horizontally toward the die M. The

blow and concentrate the heat of the jets at i the ends of the pipes h la on the crystal to be pressed.

The operation is as follows: The crystals, after being cut out from the globe, are laid one at a time on the upper or face side ot' the die M in the cup or socket J, and a rotary mo tion given the arbor I. The crystal soon becomes heated under the action of the blowpipes h and evenly heated all around in consequence ofthe rotation of the arbor I and die M. When the crystal is 'suticiently heated, which requires but a short time, the operator raises the lever H and thereby throws out the lower ends of the hooks G G', and then by actuating the lever D forces down the arbor C, and the female die F is pressed down upon the heated crystal, which is molded in proper form between the two dies F M.

When the die F is pressed donn ou the die M, the hooks GG/ eateh into the groove y of die M, and byaetuating the lever l) the arbor C, With the die M attaehed, will he raised, and another die, M, is placed in the cup or socket J and a crystal placed upon it', which is heated while the crystal previously pressed with the die M is detached from the die F. 'lhus it will he seen that the crystals may be expeditiouslyv heated and pressed and the Work done in a perfect and expeditious manner.

I would remark that in order to have the crystals pressed with nished edges l have the face ofthe die M provided with a horizonedge of the crystall and saves much lahor i1 grinding,` and nishing the crystals.

I would remark that instead of having the die M rotate, it may he stationary, and t-hejets and blow-pipes ma;T be made to rotate. The same end would he obtained in either ease, but the' former l prefer as being the most simple. By adjusting the arbor I higher or lower through the medium of the screw L, the crystal on die M may be broughtin proper re lation with the jets from pipes lL 7L.

I claim as new and desire to seeure by Letters Patent- 1. The removable or detachable die M,in connection with a rising` and falling or pressing` die F, and a eup or socket, J, rotary or stationary, to hold or ret-ain the die M, suhstantialljv` as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2.- lhe employment or use ofjets of gas or g other llames and blow-pipes, when'arranged tal iange, fi, upon which the edges ofthe erys- 1 ta-ls are pressed by the die F. (See Fig. 3.) rlhis obviates the forming oi' a burr at the and used in connection With (lies to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 3. The hooks G G', applied to the arbor C, when used in connection With the removable or detachable die M, for the purpose herein specited.

JOSEPH METZGER. Witnesses J AMES P. HALL, M. M. LrVINGsroN. 

